Machine for cutting objects



Oct. 9, 1945. F. Y. PEARNE ETAL MACHINE FOR CUTTING OBJECTS Filed April 1 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 v m p 1 MFR ATTOR EY.

Oct. 9, 1945. r-i Y. PEARNE ETAL 3 3 MACHINE FOR CUTTING OBJECTS Filed A il 14, 1945 s Sheets-$fieet 2 ATTORNE 1 945. F. Y. PEARNE ETAL 2,386,341

MACHINE F OR CUTTING OBJECTS Filed April 14, 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet s of (of I'NVENTORS f/emvz X fimemz, BY JOHN D. Boss/5e,

ATTIOYRNE Patented Oct. 9, 1945 Downey, Calif., assignors to Pacific Clay Broducts, Los Angeles, Cali'f., a corporation of California Application April 14, 1943, Serial No. 483,0 7 9 14 Claims.

The present invention is directed to a machine 'for' cutting on various objects, particularly for cutting on the internal surfaces of'hollow cylindrical objects. In its most specific embodiment, described hereinafter in detail as an illustration, the machine is particularly adapted to carve or out various ridges, lips and flanges on the internal surfaces of hollow, clay composition cylinders to' form collars therefrom. The invention also pertainsto novel pressure fluid control systems for regulating the various operations, such as automatically feeding objects to a reciprocating cutting arm provided with a rotary cutting head carrying cutters movable into and out of cutting position". Means have also been provided in the machine of this invention for regulating the speed at which the Various operations are carried out, for controlling the pressure with which the cutters engage the cylinders being cut and for timing the various movements so as to prevent accidental breakage of some of the delicate pa'rts'of the machine.

Although the pressure fluid or hydraulic system embodied in the machine of this invention is adapted for use in other boring, turning and milling machines, it will be particularly described as applied to a machine for forming clay collars of the type disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,313,074 issued to Howard W. Jewell. The machine of the present invention is designed to take cylindrical pieces of clay and automatically carve suitable flanges and ridges on the inner surfaces of the clay cylinders. The clay cylinders fed to the machine may vary somewhat in consistency or hardness and hydraulic means are provided for regulating the speed at which the cutters move into cutting position and for relieving the cutting pressure in the event a cylinder of unusual hardness or resistance is fed to the machine. Moreover, the machine includes means for automatically feeding the cylinders and for raising and lowering the cutting head in timed relation to the feeding mechanism. Preferably, a unitary, interconnecting pressure fluid system is used for raising and lowering the cutting head, moving the cutters into and out of cutting position, driving the feeding table, looking it in position during a cutting operation. etc, these various operations taking place in precise timed relation. Regulatable orifice means posi tioned in the hydraulic system. together with pressure release valves set for appropriately differing pressures, are used in suitably timing the various operations even though but a single source of pressure fluid is employed.

An object of the present invention, therefore, is to disclose and provide an automatic machine whereby cutting operations may be systematically and accurately carried out on various objects supplied to the machine.

A further object of theinventionis to'discl-ose and provide an hydraulicallyenergized machine for cutting on the inner surf aces of clay cylinders.

A further object of the invention. is to disclose and provide a machine including a reciprocating head frame provided with a rotatable cutter head, tlrecutter head carryin cutting knives movable intoand out of cutting position.

A still further object is to disclose-and provide a pressure fluid system whereby a plurality of dilrerent movements andoperations may be serially carried out in suitablytimed relation to each other.

These and other objects, uses, adaptations and modifications ofthe invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the description given hereinafter. In order to-faci-litate understanding, the description will. be directed to an exemplary form'of machine specifically designed to perform cutting operations on the internal surfaces of hollow, unburned. clay composition cylinder-a 1n the appended drawings:

Fig.1 is aside elevation of the machin showing the major elements'thereofimuch of the piping of the hydraulic system being left out of this figure in order to simplify the same.

Fig. is an enlarged front view of the head lrame and cutter head carried thereby.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken along the plane IIIIII of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a' horizontal section taken. along the plane IV--1V of- Fig. 2'. i

Fig. 5 is. a vertical section through a collar with the cutters in dual cutting position.

6 isa schematic representation of th head frame, feeding table and pressure fluid system forcontrolling the various operations.

As shown in Fig. 1., the machine comprises a base 4- provided with a vertical framework 2 on which there is-mounted a head guide 3 adapted to sl-i'eiably receive avertically movable tubular member 5 carrying at its lower end the cage '6. The tubular member 5 is connected to a piston within a pressure fluid cylinder 1 adapted to move thecage downwardly and upwardly. Posi tionedbeneath the head guide 3 is a rotary feeding table 8 mounted for rotation about a vertical pedestal 9 carried by the base I.

Thefeeding table 8-is provided withapluralit'y of ports, each being adapted to receive a split holder l carrying a locking means ll. These holders carry hollow clay cylinders. Within each port of the feeding table 8 is an adapter ring I 0' (Fig. provided with a tapered seat capable of receiving the bottom of the holder (0. Outstanding lugs carriedby the holder Ill may cooperate with upstanding pins in the adapter for the purpose of preventing relative rotation. Within the adapter I0 is an annular ring [2 restrained fromdownward movement by inwardly extending lugs carried by the adapter. The ring 12 may be called an extractor and is supported by the upper branches of rod 13 slidably mounted in a bearing I4 attached to the table 8 by meansof a frame I5. Below the feeding table 8 is an inclined cam surface l6 adapted to engage the bottom of the rod 13 so as to cause the extractor l2 to be pressed against the bottom of the clay cylinder within the holder I 0 and to force the cylinder out of the holder at a predetermined stage in the operation. n

The edge portion of the rotary table 8 may be provided with a plurality oflatching notches, such as the notch I1, said notches being equal in number to the number of holders l0 carried by the'table'B. The peripheral and lower edge portion of the feeding table 8 may'also be pro vided with agear H3 in engagement with a mitre gear l9 carried by a shaft 26 suitably journaled in the main frame 2 of the machine. The shaft 20 may also carry a slidably keyed clutch 2| and a loose pinion gear, the pinion gear being in engagement with a vertical rack 63. The movable member of the clutch 2| may be actuated by means of a lever 23 carried by the locking rod 24 which is adapted to engag'ethe locking notches I! of the table 8.

A driven keyed shaft 26 freely rotatable within the tubular member 5 is provided with a slidably keyed mitre gear 21 journaled in suitable bearings carried by the main frame 2. The shaft 26 is driven by suitable gearing and countershaft 28 from a motor 29 (Fig. l). The shaft 26 ex-- tends below the tubular member 5 and is attached to a rotatable cutter head 30 which rotates within the frame 3| of cage 6 firmly at-' tached to the vertically movable tubular member 5. The frame 3| of cage 6 is provided with an outwardly extending flange'32 from which de pends an annular pressure ring 33 yieldably urged away from the flange 32 by means of springs 34. j The pressure ring 33 and its lower tapered seat, 'is adapted to center and press downwardly against the holders 16 during the cutting operation.

A pair of cutter posts 35 and 36 are carried by the cutter head 30 and extend downwardly therefrom in parallel relation. These cutter posts 35 and 36 are spaced from the axis of rotation of the cutter head 30 and are rotatablewith respect to the cutter head 35. Each of the cutter posts is provided with removable cutters or knives, such as the knives 31 and 38 so that these knives may be moved into and out of cutting position as best indicated in Fig. 4,. wherein the position of the cutters when in cutting position is indicated in full lines and the position in the withdrawn or non-cutting position is indicated in dotted lines. The lower ends of the cutter posts 35 and 36 are preferably joined together by means of a link 39.

Means are provided for imparting a regulated partial rotation to the cutter posts 35 and 36. Such means may include a pressure fluid cylinder 46 carried by an arm M attached to the vertically movable cage 3! The rod 42 of the piston slidably mounted within the cylinder 40 is attached to a yoke lever 43 pivoted at 46, such yoke lever engaging a circumferential groove 45 of a cone 46 movable along the axis of rotation of the shaft 26. Vertical motion of the cone 46 is then translated. into partial rotation of the cutter posts 35 and 36 by the following means: the upper end of each of the cutter posts 35 and 36 is provided with a pinion gear, such as the pinions 4'! and 48. These pinion gears engage a rack gear slidably movable in a slot formed in the cutter head 3U, the rack gear being preferably made of two parts 43 and 50 adjustably held together by means of a threaded bolt and lock nuts, generally indicated at 5|. A spring 52 attached to the rack gear ordinarily maintains the cutter posts in withdrawn or non-cutting position.

A segment gear 53 pivoted to the upper surface of the cutter head 35 at 54 also engages the rack gear. The segment gear 53 is provided with a post 55 carrying an adjustable ball-ended contact 56 adapted to slidably contact the inclined surface of the cone 46. Upward movement of the cone 46 along the axis of rotation of the cutter head 36 is translated into a pivoted movement of the segment 53 which causes the rack 50 to travel, thereby partially rotating the cutter posts 35 and 36. These operations can be carried out during rotation of the entire cutter head.

In operation, preloaded holders l0 are placed upon the feeding table 8 and the machine automatically moves the loaded holders under the vertically reciprocating head frame 4. The head frame is then automatically lowered, the cutter bars are automatically swung outwardly into cutting position, then collapsed at the completion of thecut, and the head frame is raised, whereupon the feeding table is again intermittently driven to present a new holder to the action of the head frame and cutter head covered thereby. The automatic accomplishment of these various operations in suitably timedrelation and with proper safeguards to the successful completion of each task, may be best understood from a consideration of the fluid pressure control system diagrammatically represented in Fig. 6.

In the pressure fluid or hydraulic systemto be described, a supply of liquid, preferably oil, is indicated at 60. Oil from this reservoir is supplied as by line 6| to a suitable pressure pump 62 having a discharge line 63. A recirculating by-pass, including line 64, valve and line 66, is provided so that when valve 65 is open, the pump 62 discharges through the lines 63, 64 and 66 back into the intake line of the pump. If, however, the valve 65 is closed, then the oil discharged by the pump 62 will pass through line 61 into a reversing valve 66 capable of discharging oil either through line 16 or line H. The reversing valve 68 is connected to a timing valve 12, the piston in valve I2 being preferably connected to the rod 24 which engages the feeding table and actuates the clutch 2 I.

The piston which is movable within the reversing-valve 68 is connected as by mearm of a link 13 .with a bell crank lever 74. The bell crank lever 14 may assume two lock or latch-positions. One arm of the bell crank lever is shown in a p sition engaged by the latch 15 but a lower latch 16 is'also provided. A vertically extending control rod 11 is provided, such control rod carrying a pair of stops l8 and 19 adapted to disengage-the latches l5 and 16 respectively. 'The control rod [1: also: carriesa pair of'stopsilfl and 81 capable of being engaged by a lug 82 extending from a rack gear 83 attached to or actuated by'thepiston within" the'hydraulic cylinder 8 The rack gear 83' is in engagement: with a pinion 85 mounted upon the shaft 20 which drives the gear Ill and the table 8'. Adjacent this control rod 11 and] the locking bar 86- released, thereby permitting downward movement of the rack 83; At that point in the operations, incoming pressure oil is being dischar ed by reversing valve 68' through line'll and passes into the timing valve'lZ.

Oilis now discharged from the valve 12 by line 89 and a checkvalve 90 into line9l which-thereby supplies pressure fluid to the upper end of the actuating cylinder 84. Downward'movementof the piston in the cylinderis thus initiated, thereby moving'rack 83 downwardly and'causing rotation of shaft 20, gear I9 and its interconnected feeding table 8'. The length of travel of the rack 83. required tomove the table 8' the distance from oneport to another is controlled by the rack lug 82 and collar 6!- on the control rod H which opcrates the reversing valve 68.

Dead oil from the lower partof cylinder 8 is discharged byline 92- through a check'valv'e- 9'3 and a control or orifice valve 94 into a return line 95 which leads to timing valve 12, this valvenow discharging through line B'Ewhich returns theo-il to the supply tank r reservoir SUE It is to be noted that the downward movement of the rack 83 and therefore the speed of rotation ofthefeeding table 8 is controlledby regulating the admis sion of pressure fluid intothis portion of the system aswell as the backpressure'or discharge of dead oil from the system.

The discharge of deadoil from the syst'em' is controlled by the orifice valve 94 Very fine-adjustments can thus be made and by'setting the valves; the timing operation is controlled perfectly;

The downward'movement of the rack 83 1s con tinued until the 1ug'8'2 strikes the lower stop 8| on the'c'ontrol rod 11. The'control rod is then moved downwardly so as to causethe release stop 18' to release the latch thereby causing the bellcrank 14' to be pivotally moved so as toactuate the reversing valve 68. The bell crank lever 14 is held in its lower position by the latch Hi. When the reversing valve 68 is in" such reversed position (opposed to that shown in Fig. 6) pressure fluid is discharged from the valve SBby line H! into the piston valve 72' which advances the piston rod and'locking bar 24 into locking engagement with a notch in the feeding table Bi At the same time, the clutch 21 is disengaged and the stop 81 is withdrawn so as to permit the locking bar 86 to move into a position capable of arresting and engaginglug 82 when it reaches the top of the stroke.

When the feeding table is locked in the manner described, pressurefiuid is discharged by piston valve 12 through line 95 and takes the path of least resistancesthrough'line'9 and pressurerelease valve 9-8 mm the upper end of cylinder 1, thereby initiatingthedownward movement of the member S'andits appurtenances.

When. the piston in cylinder I stops its-downward motion-or comes'to' the end of its stroke, the presurev in lines 91: and. 95 is automatically increased since no further'quantity of oil may flow into the. cylinder 1'. The pressure fluid will then take the'next available line of least resistance and pass through pressure release valve 99 positioned in line M0; by means of which the pressure fluid issupplied toth'e top of the cone-actuating cylinder 40, which causes-the cone 46 to move upwardly.

It is to be noted'thatthe piston in cylinder is not actuated until the head frame has reached the lowest point in its travel.

Downward movement: of: the-piston in cylinder 40 is translated into outward movement of the cutters on the cutting posts 36 and 36. In the event the cutters'meet an unusually resistant collar; the pressure in: line I'M will exceed a certain predetermined value and in order to prevent the cutters from breaking, bending or injuring the collar, this excess pressure developed in line M38 is released through valve lll'l positioned in a bypass line l02which connects line Hill with the res ervoir-GB'. The by-pass line IE2 is connected to line I'M at a point bet'weenthe cylinder 40 and the pressure release'valve 99. The pressure rclease valves 98, Hand llll are adapted'to permit the flow of pressure fluid at progressively increasing pressures in the order stated.

During downward movement of the piston in cone-actuating cylinder ill; dead oil is discharged through line I M and passes through a choke valve I M into line WEW-hich connects with the dis charge line H which 'inturn is now associated witl'rthe return line 66; The rapidity with which the cutters are moved outwardly is therefore controlled in large part by the valve [84.

While the cutters on'posts 35 and 35 are moving outwardly and the cone 46 is moving up wardly, the pressure in line 95* has increasedtoan extent sufficient to flow through a pressure relief valve lD'l-which'permits the pressure fluid to flow into line SZ'connected with the bottom of cylinder 84. In this manner the piston in cylinder 84 is slowly raised while the cutters are moving outwardly and during their cutting operation. The upward movement of the piston in cylinder 84 causes the rack 83 to travel upwardly untilthe lug 8'2on the rack slips past the edge of lock bar or safety'latch 86'. Deadoil from cylinder 84 is discharged by line 9! through a check valve ms and an adjustable orifice valve I09, and then into lines 89 and 96. back into the reservoir 60. The rate of upward movement of the rack 33 is therefore controlled by the valve I39 which acts as a regulatable choke upon the dead oil in line 9i and regulates the cutting time of the cutters.

It is to be understood that as the rack '83 is approaching the topof its stroke it engages the stop carried by the control rod 11 and lifts thecontrol rodsufliciently to permit the release stop T9 to release the latch 16, causing the bell crank lever 14 to move into the position shown in Fig. 6, thereby actuating the reversing valve 68. In-the'position shown, fresh oilis discharged from reversing valve 68 by line ll.

One of the characteristic features of the present invention lies in the provision of an interconnected pressure fluid system supplied by a single pump, such as 62', and so arranged that thevarious operations are performed in precisely timed relation. The pump 62 is capable of generating considerable pressure and the sequence of operations is to some extent at least, determined by a plurality of pressure'relief valves, such as the valves 98, 99, II" and II which open in sequence, depending upon the pressure of the fluid. 'Ihemaximum pressure will not be generated as long as there is an outlet for the fluid. Moreover,'it is to be noted that the line 9| acts both as a supply line to the top of cylinder 84 and as a discharge line from the top of cylinder 84. Check valves 90 and I08 are so arranged that when pressure fluid is being supplied to the top of cylinder 84, the fluid can not pass through choke or control valve I09 because of the check valve I08 and therefore will only pass through the check valve 90. When, however, fluid is being discharged from the top of cylinder 84 by line 9 I, it can not flow through check valve 90 but will pass through valves I08 and I09.

When valves in the machine are choked off, fluid at high pressure is icy-passed by pressure relief valve 64' from line 63 back into tank 60 or line 6|.

It may also be noted that when the piston in the cone-actuating cylinder 40 is raised, oil is discharged from the cylinder 40 by line IIO into line H2, which is associated with the bottom of cylinder I, so that the upward movement of the head cutter does not take place until the cone 46 has been dropped and the cutters rotated out of cutting position. Pressure fluid supplied by line I does not pass into line I I2 because of the check valve H3, the path of least resistance being through check valve II 4 in line II5 connecting line I05 with line I03. In this manner, means have been provided for making certain that the cutter head is not Withdrawn from the holder I0 in which the cutting operation is conducted, until the cutters have been rotated out of cutting position.

The operation of the machine described hereinabove will be readily understood. The machine and arrangements disclosed herein are not only adapted for use in cutting clay collars, but may be used in boring, turning, milling and routing operations on various objects. The pressure fluid controls disclosed herein may be employed wherever a plurality of hydraulic cylinders is used for the performance of interrelated operations or movements. Cylinder 84 may be used not only for imparting an intermittent drive but may also be termed a control cylinder. The pressures at which the variou pressure relief valves are set depend somewhat upon the work being done, the power which the fluid pressure cylinders need generate and the pressure output of the pump used. In the specific illustration given, pressure release valve 98 may be set for 100 pounds, valve 99 for 1'75 pounds and valve IOI for 100 pounds. The pressure release valve I01 may be set for 200 or 250 pounds. These pressures are, of course, simply indicative of the order and may vary considerably.

The precise construction and arrangement of the feeding table or of the holders I0 carried thereby is not given in detail since the clamping of work-holding means may vary, depending upon the type of work being done, the size of the, object upon which the contour or boring is being'performed, etc. Nor is the present invention limited to the precise type of cutter head shown since in its broader aspects the invention may be employed with various other types of cutter heads.

All changes and modifications coming within the scope of 'the appended claims are embraced thereby.

We claim:

1. A' machine for cutting contours on internal surfaces of hollow cylindrical objects comprising: a vertically reciprocablesleeve frame, a rotatable cutter head carried by the sleeve frame, a pair of downwardly extending cutter posts mounted on the cutter head in parallel relation and spaced from the axis of rotation of the cutter head, a cutter carried on each of said posts, and means for partially rotating the cutter posts to move the cutters into and out of cutting position during rotation of the cutter head.

2. A machine of the character described in claim 1 in which the means for partially rotating the cutter posts include a cone movable along the axis of rotation of the cutter head, and means for translating movement of said cone into partial rotation of said cutter posts.

3. A machine of the character defined in claim 1 in which the means for partially rotating the cutter posts include -an element movable along the axis of rotation of the cutter head, fluid pressure means for controlling the movement'of said element, and means for translating axial movement of the element into partial rotation of the cutter posts.

4. A machine for cutting contours on internal surfaces of hollow cylindrical objects comprising: a vertically reciprocable cage, a rotatable cutter head carried by the cage, a pair of downwardly extending cutter posts mounted on the cutter head for rotation therewith, said posts being in parallel relation and spaced from the axis of rotation of the cutter head, a cutter carried on each of said posts, means for rotating the cutter head during reciprocation of the head frame, fluid pressure means for partially rotating the cutter posts to move the cutters into and out of cutting position during rotation of the cutter head, and fluidpressure means for raisingand lowering the cage.

5. A machine of the character defined in claim 4 including an interconnected pressure fluid system for said fluid pressure means, whereby the cutter posts are not partially rotated into cutting position until the cage is lowered.

6. A machine of the character defined in claim 4 including a single source of fluid pressure connected to said fluid pressure means, and a pressure release valve between said source and each of said means, said release valves being serially responsive to fluid pressure fromv said source.-

7. A machine for cutting contours on internal surfaces of hollow cylindrical objects comprising: a vertically reciprocable cage, a rotatable cutter head carried by the cage, a pair of downwardly extending cutter posts mounted on the cutter head in parallel relation and spaced from the axis of rotation of the cutter head, a cutter carried on each of said posts; pressure fluid cylinder means for partially rotating the cutter posts about their individual axes to move the cutters into and out of cutting position during rotation of the cutter head and posts mounted thereon about the axis of rotation of the cutter head, and a pressure fluid cylinder means for raising and lowering the cage.

8. In a machine of the character defined in claim 7, a common pressure fluid system for raising and lowering the cage and partially rotating the cutter posts in timed relation.

9. A machine including a vertically reciprocable cage, 3, cutting head carried by the cage, cutters on the cutting head, said cutters being adapted to move into and out of cutting position, hydraulic cylinder means for moving the cage and separate hydraulic cylinder means for moving the cutters, a single source of fluid pressure connected to both the hydraulic cylinder means, and a pressure release valve between said source and each of said cylinders, said release valves being serially responsive to fluid pressure from said source.

10. In a machine of the character described, a vertically reciprocable head frame, a rotatable cutter head carried by the head frame, a pair of downwardly extending cutter posts mounted on the cutter head for rotation therewith, said posts being in parallel relation and spaced from the axis of rotation of the cutter head, a cutter carried on each of said posts, hydraulically energized means for controllably moving the cutters into and out of cutting position during rotation of the cutter head, said means including a cylinder and a piston movably positioned therein, and regulatable orifice means associated with the discharge port of said cylinder for regulating the speed of movement of the piston therein and of the cutters actuated thereby.

11. In a machine of the character defined in claim 10, the provision of means, effective when cutting pressure on the cutters exceeds a predetermined amount, for discontinuing the outward movement of the cutters.

12. In a machine of the character described, rotatable cutter posts, cutters carried thereby, hydraulically energized means for moving the cutters outwardly into cutting position, means for supplying pressure fluid to said hydraulically energized means, and means, efifective when the cutters encounter excessive resistance, for relieving pressure in said hydraulically energized means.

13. A machine for cutting contours on internal surfaces of hollow cylindrical objects comprising: a vertically reciprocable sleeve frame, a rotatable cutter head carried by the sleeve frame, a pair of downwardly extending cutter posts mounted on the cutter head for rotation therewith, said cutter posts being in parallel relation and spaced from the axis of rotation of the cutter head, a cutter carried on each of said posts, and means for partially rotating the cutter posts to move the cutters into and out of cutting position during rotation of the cutter head, said means including a cone movable along the axis of rotation of the cutter head, and means for translating movement of said cone into partial rotation of said cutter posts.

14. A machine for cutting contours on internal surfaces of hollow cylindrical objects comprising: a vertically reciprocable sleeve frame, a rotatable cutter head carried by the sleeve frame, a pair of downwardly extending cutter posts mounted on the cutter head for rotation therewith, said cutter posts being in parallel relation and spaced from the axis of rotation of the cutter head, a cutter carried on each of said posts, and means for partially rotating the cutter posts to move the cutters into and out of cutting position during rotation of the cutter head, said means including an element movable along the axis of rotation of the cutter head, fluid pressure means for controlling the movement of said element, and means for translating axial movement of the element into partial rotation of the cutter posts.

FRANK Y. PEARNE.- JOHN D. ROSSIER. 

